I Forgive You
by Xazz
Summary: William wanted him to believe that she was dead, that he'd killed her. Except he didn't. -oneshot-


He could hear himself breathing. Deep, breaths like he was breaching the surface of water, nearly gasping but not quite. He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he opened his eyes. Everything was slightly blurred at more than around the edges and everything was spinning. Everything also hurt. Just hurt and he knew he'd been in the same position for a long time, like when he got up from the Animus and was sore. This was worse and he knew he'd been in the same position for several days without moving.

"Hey," his eyes darted when a dark shape came in front of him. He blinked several times to make his vision clear.

"Rebecca?" he asked, voice raspy and dry.

"Oh good, your memory seems intact," she said cheerfully and smiled. She had deep, dark, circles under her eyes like she hadn't slept for some time. He knew she said she could live on Red Bull and Little Debbie's, but that was just unhealthy. He wondered how many Red Bulls she'd been drinking to make her so wired despite how sunken her eyes were.

"All that caffeine's going to kill you," he said. She laughed. He was sitting mostly upright, he was in the Animus, Rebecca's Animus. The safer red one. He didn't quite believe that honestly, not any more. He sat up, needing to move.

"Hello, son," his head snapped around so quickly Desmond nearly gave himself whip lash. He almost fell out of the chair he tried to get to his feet so quickly.

"Woah there," Rebecca put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back into the chair. "What's the rush Des?"

"What's he doing here?" he demanded, not taking his eyes off his father.

"I rescued you," William said, "you should say thank you," he added when Desmond did nothing but scowl at him.

"So should you," Desmond growled right back his fight and flight responses conflicting on how to react to his previous warden and teacher. His normal response would be flight, but after living as two, overly confrontational, badasses he now had a very firmly rooted fight response now.

Father and son stared at each other, Desmond didn't blink and didn't cower or look away. Rebecca stood to the side fidgeting, wringing her hands nervously. Clearly she knew by the set of Desmond's shoulders and face he wasn't in the mood for his dad's bullshit. None of it. Like how he got when he wasn't in the mood for Shaun's, or hers, or anyone's.

"I have nothing to say," William said after a silence that stretched too long.

Desmond scoffed, "Of course," he muttered and looked away, turned to Rebecca because at least _she_ was a friendly face.

"Thirsty?" she asked suddenly, to break the tense silence. Desmond nodded, she handed him water. As he drank he could see the dead soldiers of Red Bull cans spilling out of the garbage bin. He doubted she'd slept. William didn't look nearly in as rough a shape as her. "Bill," she said to William, "what about… you know?"

"Doesn't matter," William said. He sort of mentally cringed. Rebecca called his dad _Bill_.

"Where's Lucy and Shaun?" Desmond asked.

"He's uh… uh…" Rebecca stammered.

"Becca?" he asked. She stared at him, and then looked at William. "You're a really terrible lier. What are you trying not to tell me?"

"Don't worry about them," William said.

"Why?" Desmond looked at him, "They're my friends. I've only got three of those and only one of them is right here," he offered Rebecca a brief smile.

"Shaun's with Lucy," Rebecca blurted out. William sighed.

"Where?" he looked at Rebecca again. "Is she okay?" and the last moments he'd had before losing consciousness flew past before his eyes.

"She's… okay," Rebecca said, not looking at either of them.

"Rebecca," William said patiently.

"What? I can't," she said helplessly. "I just… _can't_."

"Can't what?" Desmond asked her.

"Bill wanted me to tell you she was dead," Desmond's face went slack, "that you killed her."

"You _what_?" he demanded of his father.

"It would have been better," William grunted.

"Fuck you. You would have me believe I _killed her_?"

"She's not one of us son. She's one of _them_. All you would be doing was killing an enemy. Not many of us get the honor of killing a Templar anymore."

"You're sick," Desmond told him. "Totally and completely sick," Desmond stared at his father in disgust.

"I'm glad you didn't," Rebecca said.

"Me too," Desmond said. He got to his feet because he couldn't sit for another second. He swayed a little, Rebecca held onto his arm to steady him. "I'm fine," he said after a moment.

"Desmond, we need to talk about what happened in the Temple," William said.

"It can wait," Desmond said.

"We don't have a lot of time, son," William said.

"It can _wait_," and Desmond gave him a look his ancestors would have been proud of, because it made his father shut up and actually look concerned for himself. "I want to see them," he told Rebecca.

"I don't think you can," Rebecca said.

"Why not?"

"Well…" she said slowly and then hesitated, "She woke up two days ago and basically came back to us."

"Huh?"

"She was one of us, then she was a Templar-

"Now she's on our side again?" Desmond asked.

"She can't be trusted," William said.

"_You_ can't be trusted. Now sit down," Desmond said when William made to get up. William found himself sitting again, looking confused as to how the hell that happened and why he was listening to his disobedient, runaway, son. "Why can't I see them? Even Shaun?"

"Shaun's been questioning her," Rebecca said. "He's the only one she'd talk to other than me, and I needed to be here to keep an eye on you and the Animus."

"Oh," well that made sense. "I still want to see them," Desmond said.

"…I guess," Rebecca said and bit her lip. "I'll go talk to Shaun. He wanted me to tell him when you woke anyway. Just… stay here. No one else know you're up. We want to keep it like that," and before he could ask why she was gone.

Desmond turned back around to William. He folded his arms across his chest, staring down at him, but said nothing. "Welcome back," William said stoically. "It's nice to see you again, son."

"Trust me, the feeling is _so_ not mutual," Desmond said.

"That's quite a thing you got on your arm there," William said, now with interest. For the first time Desmond looked at himself. He was pale and thin for starters, but even so there was no mistaking the sudden change of his arm. Glowing glyphs had appeared on it. Both he and his father stared at them in a bit less than wonder.

"What is this?" Desmond asked.

"We don't know," William said.

"Did you _know_ this would happen?"

"No."

"You've lied to me before. Why should I believe you?"

"I can admit when I'm beat. I've never seen anything like that," William said. Desmond looked at his arm again, turning it to see it from all angles. They didn't speak again.

The door opened, "Desmond," Rebecca called him. He looked over his shoulder. "Shaun says to get your ass over there. There are big scary Assassins at the door, but you can come," she was pointedly not looking at William who looked very unhappy by what was going on.

Desmond walked over to her, "Lead the way," he told her. She led him down the hall to a room where two armed and armored Assassins were standing by the door. Desmond had seen Lucy in action first hand, he understood why they'd need such heavily armored guards. Rebecca knocked and a moment later the door was opened.

Shaun gave the two guards a shrewd, annoyed, look before beckoning them inside. "Glad you're awake, mate," he told Desmond with a smile after closing the door and while they didn't hug they did clasp forearms.

"Same," Desmond said.

"She okay to see him?" Rebecca asked.

"Well Rebecca she _did_ get stabbed recently," Shaun said sarcastically.

"I am too caffeinated and sleep deprived for your sass Shaun," Rebecca snapped, which surprised Desmond. Rebecca was usually to chill to snap at anyone.

"Well she just woke up from a nap, so I'd say she's fine to do some talking," Shaun said, arms folded, clearly not impressed by Rebecca's counter sass.

"How bad is she hurt?" Desmond asked.

"As I said. She was stabbed, how do you think?" Shaun asked him.

"She's not dead though," Desmond pointed out.

"No, she isn't," he agreed. "Thankfully you didn't hit anything vital," he said, "she'll be in bed for a while, under guard most likely. But she'll live."

"Do I want to know what the Order is going to do?" Desmond asked.

Rebecca and Shaun looked at each other. "Can't say for sure yet," Shaun said. "Her fate will probably depend on how useful she proves to be."

"They wouldn't… kill her would they?" Desmond prodded.

Shaun scoffed, "We're Assassins you idiot, not murderers. At worst she'd be locked in solitary confinement for a while and let out when we know we can trust her information. Even then she'll always be closely watched. Someone doesn't just go native and then change their minds."

"I did," Desmond said flatly. He'd gone native. He'd become just a normal person after being raised in this shit, and then he'd come back, because he needed to, because _she_ needed him to.

"Yeah well…" Shaun had no come back for that one. A first.

"Can I see her?"

"Yeah, she's right through there," Shaun pointed to the only door in the room. Desmond went to the door. "Hey, Rebecca what are you doing?"

"I need to talk to you," Rebecca told Shaun.

"I need to be in there-

"It's _very_ important and can't wait okay?" and then Desmond closed the door, separating him from them.

Lucy was laying in a hospital gurney. One of her wrists and one of her ankles were shackled to the bed. The gurney was the only piece of furniture in the room other then what looked like a school desk, probably so Shaun could take notes when he talked to her. There was an IV attached to her elbow and a small heart monitor. She was staring out the window, watching it rain in Rome. She looked pale and small in the washed out light of the shower.

"I don't feel like talking Shaun," she said. She even sounded small and pale.

"Not Shaun," he said, staring at her, but not moving.

Her head turned slowly to look at him, her eyes wide. "You're awake," and she sounded so relieved by this information. "Oh thank god," and it was like a great weight slipped off her shoulder.

"And you're alive," he said.

She gave him a strained smile, "Assassins are made of tougher stuff," she informed him. He slid away from the door and walked over to her. "How do you feel?"

"Like I woke up from a coma," he said, smiling just a little. It made her laugh softly. "And you?"

"Like I was stabbed."

His face turned humorless. "I'm sorry," he said. Honestly he was just glad he could tell her. "I am _so_ sorry."

She reached out with her free hand and took his, "It's okay," she said.

"But I-

"It's _okay_ Desmond," she said, squeezing his hand comfortingly. "You didn't know what you were doing. You couldn't control it."

"I still did it though," he said, looking down at her where he'd put her in this bed.

"I forgive you though," she said.

"I forgive you too," and she froze.

"Desmond you don't-

"We both did something unforgivable. But we're forgiven," he told her.

She blinked at him and then smiled. A sweet, sad, smile, "Thank you," she said.

"In the Animus I dreamed you were dead," he told her. "Anything is better than that."

"Some would say different."

"Like my father?"

"Yes."

"He's a piece of shit," and she laughed. He squeezed her hand tightly, "I forgive you, that's all that matters. If he has a problem with it he can bring it to me."

"And you'll set him straight?" she teased him.

"You'd be surprised what my face can do after being Altair and Ezio for so long," he said. She laughed and then winced. "Sorry," he said.

"It's okay," she said, taking her hand from his and placing it on her stomach with another wince. "Really," she promised.

"It will be," he nodded and then after a moment leaned down and hugged her gently. She hugged him back tightly.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she said against his shoulder.

"So am I," Desmond said and let her go, but only so much. He was so glad she was okay. Sure she was okay, but she'd recover, just like he'd recover. He reached up and held her face, "I'm _so _glad you're alive," he told her, her felt her grab the hem of his shirt with her free hand. They said nothing for a moment, just watched each other, waiting for a silent cue of what Desmond didn't know. His eyes swept along her face, over the freckles under her eyes and across her nose, her chapped lips. Then he kissed her and it was wonderful and sweet. She kissed him back and everything just seemed a lot better than it had been in a long time.

"Oh," she said in a small voice when they come up to breathe.

"Yeah," he said, "Oh." He pressed his forehead to hers. "I'll keep you safe," he told her softly. Her free hand took one of his and held onto it.

"I know you will," she said.

"Okay Desmond I don't want you to stre-

They both looked up when Shaun suddenly barged into the room. He took one look at them and turned a very interesting red color. Like he was embarrassed. Rebecca stuck her head in behind him, "They kiss yet?" she asked.

"What?" Shaun asked, looking at her from under his arm.

"_Sexual tension_," was all she said in a very strange voice, drawing out the words.

"What?" Shaun said again staring at her like she'd gone mad. After the amount of Red Bull she'd drunk Desmond wouldn't have been surprised.

Lucy just laughed, soft enough to not jostle her wound too much and yanked on Desmond's collar. He turned towards her as he was pulled down and she kissed him again. "Yes!" he heard Rebecca cry.

"What the hell is going on? Did I _miss_ something?" Shaun asked, sounding very bewildered by what he was seeing.

"Shaun, you're an idiot," Rebecca said. Desmond wasn't looking though, he was too busy kissing and enjoying the way Lucy's hand felt on his jaw.

"Oi, you two, stop with the face eating," Shaun suddenly cried, _very_ uncomfortable now.

Desmond pulled away reluctantly and looked at Shaun, "Jealous?" he asked.

"Screw you. No," and Shaun was still tomato red.

"Would rather not," Desmond said. "So," he continued, "What's next?"

"I'm for sleep," Rebecca chimed in. "Sweet, sweet, sleep."

"Rebecca, go away you've practically been up for two weeks strait," Shaun told her sternly. Then they all looked at Desmond when an inhuman sound came from him. Then it stopped. Then a moment later it started again. "What the _hell_ is that noise?" Shaun asked, adjusting his glasses.

"My stomach," Desmond said.

Shaun slapped his hand to his face, "Of _course_ it is. Right. Bed the tech head, food for the neanderthal and-

"Painkillers for me," Lucy piped in.

"Yes yes, right on that, love," Shaun sighed in the most put upon fashion imaginable. "Great bloody, christ, it's like taking care of children. Now both of you, out," and he shooed Rebecca out. "You too Casanova," he told Desmond sternly, waving a finger at him.

"Sure thing Shaun," Desmond said. He leaned down and kissed Lucy again briefly before letting her go and left the room after Rebecca who was surprisingly giddy and hyper.

"I'll take you to the kitchen," she told Desmond.

"Sounds like a plan," Desmond smiled at her and she actually _skipped_ out the door. "You need to lay off the Red Bull," he added.

"With pleasure. I am ready to power nap for three days," she said and the Assassins at the door gave her the strangest look as she skipped past them and down the hall to the stairs, Desmond following in her cheerful wake.

-fin-


End file.
